PALESTINE, Texas — A Palestine man accused of driving intoxicated and killing a 85-year-old woman Tuesday was arrested.
Mark Thomas, 65, is charged with intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, intoxication assault with vehicle causing serious bodily injury, tamper/fabricate physical evidence with intent to impair and fail to yield right of way in connection with the two-vehicle crash that killed Dorothy Sims.
The crash happened Tuesday around 4:15 p.m. at the intersection of N. Loop 256 and Palestine Ave. when Thomas' vehicle failed to yield the right-of-way and turned in front of a Ford Fusion, according to police.
Sims, who was a passenger in the Ford, died at the hospital. A child passenger was taken to a Dallas hospital for serious injuries. The driver, Laura Brashier, 54, of Palestine, was also taken to the hospital, police said.
After the crash, Thomas was found in the restroom possibly attempting to destroy narcotics. Police said he was found with apparent marijuana in the restroom, and they determined him to be intoxicated.
He was then taken to the Anderson County Jail.
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